Culturally Adapted, Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Spanish-Speaking Individuals With Substance Use...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Addiction Medicine
• Digital Health

Background:

• Substance use disorders (SUDs) disproportionately affect minority populations, including Spanish-speaking individuals.
• Access to evidence-based treatments remains a significant barrier for many with SUDs.
• Culturally adapted digital interventions may help bridge treatment gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of adding culturally adapted Web-based cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) to standard outpatient care for individuals with SUDs.
• To assess the impact of this combined treatment on substance use frequency and knowledge acquisition.
• To determine the durability of treatment effects over a 6-month follow-up period.

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 92 Spanish-speaking individuals diagnosed with SUD.
• Participants received either standard outpatient treatment or standard treatment plus 8 weeks of culturally adapted Web-based CBT.
• Outcomes were assessed over a 6-month follow-up period.

Main Results:

• Individuals receiving Web-based CBT showed significantly greater reductions in primary substance use frequency compared to the standard care group.
• These improvements were sustained through the 6-month follow-up.
• Participants in the Web-based CBT group also demonstrated significantly greater increases in knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Integrating culturally adapted Web-based CBT into standard treatment is an effective strategy for improving substance use outcomes.
• This digital health approach offers a scalable, accessible, and cost-effective method to address health disparities in SUD treatment for Latino populations.
• The findings support the use of Web-based CBT as a valuable tool in addiction care, particularly for underserved communities.